Address:
700 W. 22nd St.
Merced, CA 95344
Phone:
209-385-7410
Because of concerns for the safety and wellness of both staff and inmates at the Merced County Main Jail Facility in Merced, California, contact visits of any type may be suspended. Even if they have visits, from time to time, face masks may be required.
Approved Non-contact visits with family, friends and the inmate’s lawyers may still be allowed when at-home or onsite video visitation is not available, however given that new guidelines are changing daily please check the visitation page or call 209-385-7410 for updates.
At-home and onsite video visitation guidelines for Merced County Main Jail Facility, when this service is available, can be found by going to the visitation information page.
We highly recommend that you call 209-385-7410 first for any changes due to staff shortages or other unforeseen circumstances, including whether your inmate has become ill and is unable to be in the general population where video kiosks are available.
Experts in the study of the COVID-19 are anticipating that spread of the virus will be a ongoing concern for Merced County, the state of California and the entire United States until well into 2024 and maybe even beyond. We are witnessing the virus becoming more contagious, but less deadly over time. Many people think that the 'more contagious, but less deadly' variants will infect so many people that a higher level of natural immunity for the majority of Americans will be the end result.
Whether the inmates are safe from contracting the coronavirus depends entirely on two things:
At this stage most people who get the coronavirus show very few symptoms beyond what you might experience with a bad cold or a mild case of the common flu. Newer variants are turning out to be less deadly than the common flu we experience every year.
Studies that have been done are showing that the hardest hit are those 60 years of age and older, those with pre-existing medical issues like diabetes, leukemia or obese individuals. Young men and women rarely become very ill, and when they do, seem to recover quickly.
Given the close proximity of inmates and staff to each other in this lockup, it is going to be very difficult to prevent the spread of COVID-19 once it is introduced into the facility as the virus can spread via the microscopic vapor that we release every time we speak, cough or sneeze.
We will continuously update this page as the virus changes and new policies are instituted.
Because Merced County and California can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Merced County Main Jail Facility at 209-385-7410, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, and do this right after an arrestee has been booked.
Ask the staff at the Merced County Main Jail Facility or the Merced County Court Clerk these specific questions:
If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released.
This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.
For inmates receiving mail in the Merced County Main Jail Facility there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.
All mail is to be shipped to the Merced County Main Jail Facility:
Inmate's Full Name & Jail ID#
Merced County Jail
P.O. Box 2267
Merced, CA 95344
For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.
Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)
For full instructions on the Merced County Main Jail Facility Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.
To deposit money into the account of an inmate in Merced County, follow these instructions:
For all the information you need regarding making an inmate deposit, what it costs, how much you can send, how long it takes for your inmate to receive funds and more, and to get the Facility Locator Number, check out our Send Money Page.
To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Merced County Main Jail Facility follow these steps:
For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Merced County Main Jail Facility, as well as sending money to the inmate so that they can purchase their own items, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Merced County.